A Cherished Peice Of Art By Wyland

July 30, 2024 Looking for the Light9 Comments

I bought this piece in Hawaii while vacationing with some friends. It was gallery night and many had their doors open, serving drinks and welcoming people in to see the art on display. I was already familiar with Wyland and the thought of owning a piece of his art had my blood racing. Most of the pieces on display were way out of my price range but I fell in love with his signature whale tail tucked in the back. I could not wait to get home and hang the amazing piece. It’s one of my most treasured even though it’s not the most expensive.

“The value of art is not in the price, it’s what the piece means to you” Me

About World Renowned Artist Wyland

Over 40 years ago, marine life artist Wyland exploded on the scene with his rich, majestic murals of marine life. The timing couldn’t have been better – the environmental movement was in full swing and ocean-themed art was in high demand. Today, the art is as vibrant as ever and the message of showcasing the beauty of nature is even stronger. But Wyland’s mission has expanded in entirely new ways. With new art, a new emphasis on families and education, and a broader view of our relationship to the beauty of our entire blue planet – from our oceans, lakes, and rivers, to our streams and wetlands.

Wyland has inspired millions of people worldwide about marine life conservation thanks to his life-sized paintings and images ranging from the sides of sports arenas and cruise ships to installations at the U.S. National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Wyland’s mission of engaging people through nature-themed art and a more environmentally friendly lifestyle has touched hearts and minds, and led to strategic alliances with the United States Olympic Team, United Nation Environment Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, Toyota, and Walt Disney Studios, to name a few.

Large-scale, inspiring public artworks, beautiful art galleries, and award-winning community service projects. In a career spanning more than four decades, Wyland’s art and commitment to conservation has made him one of the most influential artists of the 21st Century, with artwork in museums, corporate collections, and private homes in more than one hundred countries.

Since 1993, the non-profit Wyland Foundation has set the standard for environmental outreach, using art, science, and community events to inspire children and families around the world to become caring, informed stewards of our ocean, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands. With traveling science exhibits, national art programs, and innovative outreach events, the foundation helps people everywhere to be more creative, positive, and solution-oriented. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and has worked directly with more than one million children since its inception in 1993.

You can find his breathtaking art at https://www.wyland.com

You can still see my desk in the background of the photo, I could not get the right light and haven’t perfected my photo apps. This piece hangs in my office and is a treasured piece and a great memory of being in Hawaii with my friends and finding his gallery.

Melinda

Art · Celebrate Life · Fun · Self-Care · Trauma · Travel

A Favorite Piece Of Art By Andy Warhol

July 28, 2024 Looking for the Light10 Comments

Even though I have paperwork on this piece I can’t say for certain that is a Lithograph because there is not a number on it and there should be. I purchased it in 2014 because the piece spoke volumes to me. My mother always told me I was stupid growing up even though I knew it wasn’t true. It was more of her mental torture. When I saw this piece I had to buy it. A young girl with good grades at school and getting a goodies bag for and being called So Sweet. It was a sweet revenge for me. It hangs in my office and I get great satisfaction looking at it daily. If it is real, that’s a bonus.

Do you have a favorite piece that calms your inner demons?

Melinda

Art · Celebrate Life · Fun · Photography · Travel

Some Of The Books I Have Collected Over The Years

July 14, 2024 Looking for the Light25 Comments

What type of books do you read and collect?

Melinda

Art · Celebrate Life · Fun · Travel

I Love Art, Here’s One Of My Favorites From Jim Stallings

July 4, 2024July 5, 2024 Looking for the Light6 Comments

I had an appreciation of art long before I bought my first piece and later while traveling, I would buy a piece to remind me of the trip. I only have five expensive pieces and the rest from my travels are street art or maps. Maps are another thing I collect and love picking them up while traveling. I bought this Jim Stallings while in Maui at an outdoor showing. He thanked me and we talked for a while, he was so down to earth and I didn’t even know who he was, just that I loved this piece. I think it was $800 and I display it in my bedroom without a frame on a decorative easel. His father owned a restaurant chain that I ate at regularly, on the menu was the first plant-based patty I had. It was so good it was hard to believe it wasn’t beef.

Here’s More About Jim Stallings

Stallings is considered an artists’ artist. Fascinated with art and artists from a very early age, private painting classes at age eight started the course of Stallings’ destiny. He earned a degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and then spent as much time as possible in the museums of London and Paris while earning a diploma from City University, London. Stallings then embarked on a backpacking odyssey for over two years that included more than five hundred miles in the Grand Canyon and the surrounding states ending in Denali National Park, Alaska. After four months in Alaska Stallings flew to Maui with only a backpack and a duffle bag where he began his artistic career.
Stallings hung his first early paintings in Maui restaurants which sold quickly leading to a number of gallery shows. He then opened his own gallery in Lahaina, Maui enjoying the friendships he made with collectors from every state in the United States and all over the world.
Stallings has explored the relationship of music and pure color for his entire artistic career. Deciding early on to pursue canvases of whimsy and purity, questions about the relationship of music, vibrations and visual art led Stallings to paint live on stage with symphony orchestras including the Long Beach, San Diego, Honolulu and the Russian National. Painting music as visual art was a defining moment in Stallings’ career. He enjoys exploring the harmony of music and color and their positive effects on the human spirit. He has worked with world renowned scientist, physicist, conductors and musician regarding the physics and energy of music.
After creating and selling more than two thousand original works of art, Stallings still pursues his love of painting classical and jazz music. He has also painted jazz music live at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Napa and New York. Never complacent, Stallings continues to stretch his creative limits while sharing his passion for the arts.

Here are a few I like from his collection.

Floral on Blue

Floral Study

Bistro Five

Interestingly, he has signed his paintings on the left and right. I have not seen that before.

Melinda

Reference:

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jim-stallings

Art · Blogging · Celebrate Life · Fun · Life · Travel

Sending A Special Thanks To Mali, Russia, Brazil, Spain And Greece For Visiting

June 27, 2024 Looking for the Light19 Comments

I love to see what countries visit my blog, it actually hits my travel desire. Each week I look further into countries I’m not familiar with and this week I took a closer look at Mali. Mali, is a landlocked country of western Africa, mostly in the Saharan and Sahelian regions. Mali is largely flat and arid. The Niger River flows through its interior, functioning as the main trading and transport artery in the country. Sections of the river flood periodically, providing much-needed fertile agricultural soil along its banks as well as creating pasture for livestock. Although Mali is one of the largest countries in Africa, it has a relatively small population, which is largely centered along the Niger River. Agriculture is the dominant economic sector in the country, with cotton production, cattle and camel herding, and fishing among the major activities.

St Petersburg, Russia will always have a special place in my heart, I loved the city’s deep history, the Cathedrals, the architecture, and above all the kindness of the people. I knew three words in Russian and the people who didn’t speak English, many of them, tried so hard to help me, taking extra time when I was lost or not able to find a museum I really wanted to see. The history of St. Petersburg is fascinating and at one time it served as the capital of Russia. The Hermitage Palace and museum is something everyone needs to see, it is mind-blowing and houses not only fine art but the greatest collection of Faberge Eggs.

I visited Madrid, Spain in 1988 and it was my first international trip. I keep a photo of a couple performing with string puppets in the square on my bookcase. We made the trip to Toledo, A UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes the Cathedral of Toledo and the Alcázar fortress. The Cathedral was reportedly built in the Middle Ages and is one of Spain’s most important Gothic structures. At the same time, the Alcázar fortress has played a significant role in Spanish history, serving as a royal palace, military fortification, and now a museum. The fort was a trip back in time, on the huge wooden doors you could see where it was hit with cannonballs. The architecture was undescribable and being on the river made it even more special. The locals were welcoming and tried to help me so hard when we were lost and I needed to go to the bathroom. Try to speak that in body language. The exquisite handmade Ladro porcelain pieces are made in Spain and I found a special one to bring my Granny. We also found a beautiful black plate with gold detailing, all made by hand.

Greece is high on my bucket list, with its deep history, magnificent blue water, cathedrals capped in blue, crazy uphill walking, and white-covered buildings and houses and the mob. I’ve read that mob still runs parts of the country although I bet they would prefer I not mention. Greece is also known for gold, when traveling you can pick up gold jewelry for a fraction of the price in America. There a plenty of shops to choose from and the designs are creative and playful. That’s just the tip of the iceberg that the Greek Islands are.

Brazil is on my travel bucket list, the country has so much to offer.

Statue of Peter the Great in St. Petersburg Square

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Melinda

References:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Mali

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Saint_Petersburg#1945–1970s

https://www.britannica.com/place/Madrid

https://www.britannica.com/place/Brazil

https://www.britannica.com/place/Greece

Art · Celebrate Life · Fun · Health and Wellbeing · Photography · Travel

I’ve Made A Few Updates To My Blog

June 20, 2024 Looking for the Light10 Comments

Hello, so glad you stopped by today.

To allow more comments and my ability to communicate with others, I’ve changed the settings so that you don’t have to log in or be a WordPress member.

I’ve updated my About Me page slightly and continue to work on making Organizations That Can Help a drop-down menu. I’ve done it in the past but currently, it’s not correct.

One area I want to expand is Organization that Can Help, please provide any you know of so I can create a much better resource. Thanks. :)

Look for more changes as I work to improve my blog.

Thank you for reading and visiting my blog.

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Art · Celebrate Life · Health and Wellbeing · Mental Health · Photography

Blogger Highlight-Yolanda and Her Creative Scream

June 17, 2024June 17, 2024 Looking for the Light3 Comments

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their blog with you. This week we highlight the blog Yolanda and her creative mind.

Yolanda and her creative scream

My name is Yolanda. From the beginning, I wrote a lot here to teach people about mental illness. I do that sometimes in the present, but now I mostly share my creative perspective in photography, photoshop art, and poetry most of the time.

Yolanda picked up photography when she moved to Stockholm five years ago.

These are one image and one photo she likes and I wanted to share them with you.

Here is a recent favorite of mine.

Yolanda is also a published writer of the book Alternativt.

Baksidan lyder:
”Alternativt” är en bok som jag har skrivit när jag har varit frisk och när jag har varit sjuk. I grunden har jag Aspergers syndrom och lider av bipolär sjukdom. Som person är jag väldigt kreativ. Jag har tidigare givit ut en annan bok, som jag gav namnet ”I skuggan av en siluett skör som glas”. Både den och den här boken är mest baserade på dikter. Den förra boken innehåller även målningar och teckningar. ”Alternativt” bjuder på dikter och texter skrivna av en kreativ och alternativ kvinna, som är mycket mer än bara sina diagnoser.

Finns nu att köpa på Vulkan: https://www.vulkanmedia.se/butik/bocker/alternativt-av-yolanda-christoffersson/

”Alternativt” finns även att köpa i de flesta nätbokhandlarna!

Here’s a great review.

”Your talent bestowed within u by God endowed you to write and inspire others with the beauty and skills of your royal talent.”_-Van Prince

The interpretation of the photos she takes is amazing. She has Asperger Syndrome which I know very little about but I can feel the world around her and despite her challenges, she gets up and keeps living life. That is what we can all do. Live life.

Be sure to stop by and say hello, not only is she talented, she’s so sweet and grateful. I know you will enjoy her blog, pull up a set and stay awhile.

Melinda

Looking for the Light